Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Afghanistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Afghanistan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Italy vs $237 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Italy vs $329 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,524 per month in Italy vs $420 in Afghanistan, rent included.

The cost of living in Italy is about 625% higher than in Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Italy sits 29% above the global median, while Afghanistan is 82% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.38
$2.18 ؋143
706.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5 €72.1
$9.84 ؋647
737.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 €10.25
$3.53 ؋232
232.01%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.84 ؋187
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.13 ؋469
-
Cappuccino
$1.92 €1.68
$0.90 ؋59.0
113.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.62
$0.38 ؋25.14
686.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.19
$0.13 ؋8.49
946.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 €5.04
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 €4.57
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.48
$0.71 ؋46.89
138.03%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.04
$0.21 ؋13.79
1009.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 €2.67
$1.72 ؋113
77.33%
Eggs
$3.99 €3.49
$1.60 ؋105
149.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.68 €14.59
$3.74 ؋246
345.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.57 €11.00
$3.41 ؋224
268.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.53 €17.96
$5.80 ؋381
253.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.24
$0.60 ؋39.74
326.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.93
$0.83 ؋54.4
165.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.34
$0.75 ؋49.02
257.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.37 €2.95
$0.51 ؋33.64
560.78%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.78
$0.47 ؋30.59
334.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$0.40 ؋26.00
370.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.29
$0.32 ؋21.24
359.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$0.30 ؋19.47
80.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.82 ؋120
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.69 ؋45.11
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.50 ؋98.9
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00 €6.12
$2.19 ؋144
219.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 €6.20
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.58
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.19
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 €1.71
$0.30 ؋19.88
553.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.58 €36.38
$12.08 ؋794
244.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.80 €5.08
$1.46 ؋95.8
297.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 €1.40
$0.64 ؋42.02
150.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.07 €30.68
$1.69 ؋111
1975.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.86
$0.99 ؋64.9
115.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K €28.5K
$8,783 ؋577.3K
270.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €29.6K
$35.5K ؋2.3M
-4.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €197
$74.7 ؋4,913
201.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14 €11.50
$14.65 ؋963
-10.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19 €27.29
$148 ؋9,707
-78.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 €50.0
$9.75 ؋641
486.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85 €22.61
$3.32 ؋218
678.61%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 €9.05
$2.43 ؋160
325.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 €493
$23.76 ؋1,562
2273.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,047
$1,445 ؋95.0K
615.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 €80.4
$13.90 ؋914
561.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54 €35.47
$19.40 ؋1,275
108.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 €85.9
$33.36 ؋2,193
194.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €116
$29.07 ؋1,911
354.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$855 €748
$81.9 ؋5,384
944.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 €580
$53.1 ؋3,488
1150.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,332
$182 ؋11.9K
737.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €953
$103 ؋6,743
961.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,747 €3,278
$606 ؋39.8K
518.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,299 €2,011
$341 ؋22.4K
573.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,897 €1,659
$256 ؋16.8K
641.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
16.22
-72.81%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $742 in Italy vs $38.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,328 in Rome and $85.0 in Kabul.

Average salary: $1,912 in Italy vs $221 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1853% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 1133% more in Italy.

Public transport is 529% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 765% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Italy vs Afghanistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Afghanistan or Italy?
Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 445% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Afghanistan or in Italy?
Housing costs more in Italy, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Italy consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Afghanistan vs Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Afghanistan, contributing to the overall 445% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Afghanistan and Italy on $800 per month?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in Italy it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Afghanistan or Italy?
Afghanistan is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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